Open Access40 Gbit/s low-loss silicon optical modulator based on a pipin diode
Author(s) -
Mélissa Ziebell,
Delphine MarrisMorini,
G. Rasigade,
Jean-Marc Fédéli,
P. Crozat,
Éric Cassan,
David Bouville,
Laurent Vivien
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.20.010591
Subject(s) - extinction ratio , optics , materials science , insertion loss , diode , interferometry , pin diode , waveguide , optoelectronics , silicon , gigabit , wavelength , physics
40 Gbit/s low-loss silicon optical modulators are demonstrated. The devices are based on the carrier depletion effect in a pipin diode to generate a good compromise between high efficiency, speed and low optical loss. The diode is embedded in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, and a self-aligned fabrication process was used to obtain precise localization of the active p-doped region in the middle of the waveguide. Using a 4.7 mm (resp. 0.95 mm) long phase shifter, the modulator exhibits an extinction ratio of 6.6 dB (resp. 3.2 dB), simultaneously with an optical loss of 6 dB (resp. 4.5 dB) at the same operating point.